While driving the vehicle, the suspension system carries the brunt of the load. While this system is working in compression, the car body starts to sway, and the wheels may lose contract with the road. Shock absorbers help to reduce the level of inertia in the springs and avoid loss of controllability of the car.
Types and Features of Shock Absorbers of the Suspension
The design of this element includes a sealed cylindrical body. The shock absorbers can be single-tube or double-tube. In the first one, gas is compressed, and the rod enters the body. In the second one, excess oil during compression is discharged into the outer pipe.
How to Determine if the Shock Absorber Needs a Replacement
The main reasons for replacing shock absorbers are physical wear, which is inevitable due to constant loads, and damage. Damage can be associated with careless use of the car or with accidents. The need of replacement of the element is indicated by some external signs that are easily detected, which are easily identified during visual inspection. It is necessary to install a new shock absorber if there are oil leaks on the body or along the rod. This points to a loss of sealing. In such situation, there is no liquids inside the body, so the car part cannot perform its functions.
The shock absorber should be replaced if its fasteners are damaged and if the silent blocks show visible signs of wear. Indirect sign of malfunction is uneven tire wear. The need for shock absorber replacement is indicated by:
- Strong forward tilt during braking, especially when stopping abruptly;
- Noticeable shaking when the car is moving, especially on rough roads;
- Significant increase in braking distance, noticeable decrease in braking efficiency;
- Crooked trajectory of the car when the steering wheel is evenly positioned.
Atypical suspension sounds may be a cause of shock absorber replacement. If an unusual knock or squeak appears while driving over obstacles and bumps, it may indicate the failure of the element.
What are the Reasons for Replacing Shock Absorbers
Besides the significant loads to which shock absorbers are exposed during driving, there are some other factors that contribute to rapid wear. Low-quality components are likely to lose performance rather quickly. Reasons for replacing front shock absorbers also include:
- Mechanical impacts causing breakdowns and loss of tightness;
- Corrosion development;
- Influence of high and low temperatures, their dramatic change;
- Sharp braking, especially on rough roads.
Frequently, suspension components have to be replaced due to violations of the rules of their installation. For example, one of the reasons for replacing the rear shock absorber is the incorrect adjustment of ground clearance. In this case, the load on this part increases, and its wear accelerates.
When the installation technology is violated, the service life of the shock absorber decreases. This can happen due to excessive tightening, which provokes damage to the seal, guide rod. A tightened nut creates excessive stress, which causes malfunctions. Insufficient tightening torque is also dangerous.
Why it’s Important to Replace Faulty Shock Absorbers
Whatever the cause of damage to shock absorbers is, urgent diagnostics is required if there are signs of their faulty operation. If significant breakdowns are detected, the part should be replaced immediately, because the controllability of the car and the safety of traffic participants depend on it. If the shock absorbers malfunction:
- There is a risk of skidding on a bend, up to the wheels coming off the road;
- Decreased braking efficiency, which makes emergency stopping impossible;
- Car tires wear out quickly and unevenly;
- The driver quickly gets tired, loses the ability to concentrate and quickly react to the road situation.
